All of a sudden, things are getting tight. Wins by Arizona and Vancouver on a supposedly quiet Monday night have the Oilers being tracked by five teams within two points of Edmonton’s leading pace. On the first of back-to-back games, winning in Motown is vital.
On January 9, 1984, just 131 days before the team would win its first Stanley Cup, the Oilers beat the Detroit Red Wings 7-3. It was a game that included a famous name from the 1960’s (Brad Park) and one who would play through 2006 (Steve Yzerman). Among the men who would get points that night were Wayne Gretzky, Mark Messier, Glenn Anderson, Paul Coffey, Grant Fuhr, Kevin Lowe, Charlie Huddy, Ken Linseman. Danny Gare took a penalty. There’s a lot of history in every game, but that one was incredible.
THE ATHLETIC!
The Athletic Edmonton features a fabulous cluster of stories (some linked below, some on the site). Great perspective from a ridiculous group of writers and analysts. Proud to be part of The Athletic, there is a Puck Drop Special offer here.
- New Lowetide: The current state of the Edmonton Oilers goaltending. (will link)
- New Jonathan Willis: Should the Oilers trade for a veteran NHL defenceman?
- Lowetide: Oilers first-round pick Philip Broberg increases his role; Condors’ Caleb Jones looks NHL-ready
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: ‘I don’t think anyone’s feeling comfortable’: Oilers’ Holland pleased but cautious amid early improvements.
- Lowetide: Josh Archibald’s injury and limited replacements available puts some pressure on Oilers
- Daniel Nugent-Bowman: 4 reasons why the Oilers passed their first true test of the season
- Lowetide: Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and James Neal are leading a quality Oilers second line
- Lowetide: Assessing the early season progress of Oilers’ defence and goaltending
- Jonathan Willis: A rare success during Edmonton’s long rebuild, why Oscar Klefbom is the model for finishing Oilers’ blue line
- Lowetide: Jesse Puljujarvi’s impressive Liiga performance headlines Oilers prospects this week
- Jonathan Willis: Can the Oilers afford to pursue Taylor Hall in free agency?
- Corey Pronman: Oilers No. 9 farm system.
- Lowetide: Oilers top 20 prospects summer 2019.
OILERS IN OCTOBER
- Oilers in October 2015: 5-8-0, 10 points; goal differential -5
- Oilers in October 2016: 9-3-1, 19 points; goal differential +8
- Oilers in October 2017: 4-8-1, nine points; goal differential -13
- Oilers in October 2018: 8-4-1, 17 points; goal differential +3
- Oilers in October 2019: 8-3-1, 17 points, goal differential +5
A loss tonight and we’ll bring last year’s team into the conversation for the first time. A win, and we can still discuss the 2016 playoff club. At this point, the 2015 and 2017 horses are well back and nothing more than a curio. Loyal patrons hope they remain such.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN OCTOBER
- At home to: Vancouver, Los Angeles (Expected: 1-1-0) (Actual 2-0-0)
- On the road to: NYI, NJD, NYR, CHI (Expected 2-1-1) Actual (3-1-0)
- At home to: Philadelphia, Detroit (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 2-0-0)
- On the road to: Winnipeg, Minnesota (Expected 1-1-0) (Actual 0-1-1)
- At home to: Washington, Florida (Expected 1-1-0)(Actual 1-1-0)
- On the road to: Detroit, Columbus (Expected 1-1-0)
- Overall expected result: 7-6-1, 15 points in 14 games
- Current results: 8-3-1, 17 points after 12 games
I have tonight as a win, and if the Oilers can do it this year’s team will move four points past what was suggested as reasonable. In a six-month season, those four points are extreme value. In April, those four points could be the difference between making and missing the playoffs.
OILERS 2019-20
William Lagesson and Joel Persson could play tonight, but Brandon Manning is likely the strongest bet. Veteran coaches love veteran defensemen, it’s always been thus. Bob and Dustin were tweeting this morning about Kailer Yamamoto as a recall option, now, today. Yamamoto is the best forward in Bakersfield and, despite his lack of size, is a demon on the forecheck. He’ll no doubt land on a skill line eventually, but could add speed and aggressive forechecking on the No. 3 line. Recalling Yamamoto for offense alone, and putting him on a feature line, would in my opinion be too much to ask. As a third line forechecker? He can do that job, add speed and maybe chip in a goal or two. The problem? He would arrive on that third line while it is currently a train wreck. I’d be more open to putting him on the Nuge line with Neal, and moving Chiasson to Sheahan’s crew. However, waiting for another 15 games is the correct call. Put him on a line that is playing well when he gets here.
LOWDOWN WITH LOWETIDE
A loweded (see what I did there?) show today (took me too many years to do it, though) on TSN1260, beginning at 10 this morning. Jonathan Willis from The Athletic will talk acquisitions and the wisdom of grabbing useful defensemen when available. Ryan Holt, Bakersfield Condors broadcaster will check in on the state of the team and what we’ll see from Jay Woodcroft’s crew tomorrow morning. Finally, Andrew Peard and Corey Graham stop in and talk all things Oil Kings. 10-1260 text, @Lowetide on twitter. Talk soon!
Ribs,
In that case, fuck me ? Carry on!
I was being a bit facetious there, to be true 😉 .
In fairness, the fact that you don’t have an idea who Hronek is isn’t a sign of his lack of quality 😉
Can you write those kind of things on the internet?
Me, posterbating!
Ken isn’t going to buy out a player he signed.
The first lineup change that should make a solid difference is to re-insert Joel Persson – hopefully its soon.
Helps the top 4 transition game
Helps Klefbom
Helps the third pairing by switching Manning for Russell
A few of his bets have paid off:
– Lucic for Neal with a bit retained and a conditional 3rd
– Mike Smith
– Nygard may still but we don’t know
– Archie was dead at 5 on 5 production but he was the top PK guy and that was important.
When you lose against a team that plays a 5’8″, 180lb defenceman named “Joe Hicketts” for over 17 minutes, you might have a problem. Seriously, look at the Wings lineup for this game. Who are these guys? Some guy named Filip Hronek led both teams in ice time with over 26 minutes (he finished the Oilers off with the empty netter to boot).
It doesn’t get easier than this! *facepalm*
Still early, still early. Dipping into the banked points jar, but it’s not even a quarter full. Damn.
Was running the buyout hit on Chiasson.
You can save $1.4m next season. Wouldn’t be too surprised by that one.
Not many options to stem the tide.
Too early for teams to sell. Not much forward help on the farm.
Maybe you could trade Larsson for a forward after he returns.
Any spare Leivos kicking around the NHL?
The anemic scoring recently is concerning, but it’s good that the early season success built a buffer zone so we’re not starting the season in the hole. The Pacific division is up for grabs with the Sharks and Flames faltering early. The Canucks are pretenders and doing what they’re best at, getting their pretentious Ugg and Lululemon wearing fan base excited before ultimately failing.
McDavid gets four points tomorrow night, Gagner and/or Chiasson find the scoresheet, and all is back on track.
Koskinen’s early season play is a true positive, a la 2016-17 Talbot, whom you’ll all remember was instrumental in that march to the playoffs.
Harpers Hair,
How embarrassing
Hindsight is everything in pro sports.
Oilers are like the Dionne LA Kings. That team people check out yesterday’s scores, just to see how McDraisaitl have been doing.
Not only do we get the loss, but Tippett went all in.
Over 26 min for Draisatl and McDavid in a losing effort.
There are some lineup changes that Tippett could try to shake things up next game. Split up the three centers to start. Each guy has to carry his wingers until they can break the drought. Puts Sheahan back to 4C where he belongs. Khaira and Gagner looked passable with Nuge — that can be the third line. Get Russel back to third D pairing. He added ‘backhand pass to nowhere, up the middle’ to his tool belt tonight I see. That feeble effort on Larkin’s goal bugged me, too. He just stood there and let Larkin get a free look.
No, it’s only a half bad team! Half is excellent. Averages out to middle of the pack. With a bit of help I think they can do well. Question of course is where will help come from and at what price.
Do you think we have seen all the cards? Is there anything left?
We are capped now, but in the summer there were choices, not a lot but some. Holland played his hand, he didn’t want to give up anything in way of trades or $ either and that’s understandable. But his bets are not paying off.
I enjoy seeing the math breakdown. Last seasons NHLe numbers should represent some points for this year, yet nothing. Hard to understand.
Anyway, I think we have seen the team now. Strengths and weaknesses, not many surprises to come as presently constructed. I just don’t want to give back the wins before they take some type of action. A little help please.
Condors game is in the morning tomorrow for those that like to follow and were not aware.
Nope, never said not to be concerned.
Even good teams, like the 2016/17 team go through stretches where they look terrible and much worse than they really are.
Is the current edition a good team going through a bad stretch or a bad team? I don’t know the answer to that. I’m sure the vast majority will say its a bad team but I’m also sure that the vast majority said it was a bad team during the midst of the 2016 losing streak.
It may be a bad team but we don’t know what we don’t know.
Oh DSF’s sheer desperation to sow grief driven by his fourteen year old need for attention is far more entertaining than a paper cut.
And this is a “man” who is in the golden years of his life. It’s hilarious!!
Sometimes I get my t’s and c’s mixed up…..
the dude is such a waste of time.
Me, too. Like I love a paper cut more than a migraine.
You do know who you are talking to, right? He could conduct seminars.
So what does that mean? We shouldn’t be concerned?
Our record was the same at this time last year too ??♂️
Oh the bitterness is strong with this one.
Haha hahaha!
Thanks for yet another belly laugh, Nucklehead fan!
Looove having you around.
Definitely not the worst team. Have you considered meditation? I hear it works wonders.
Are you ok, dude. You seem wacked out.
I think they tried to do more in the summer (eg. Connolly contract offer) but they had limited resources due to previous mismanagement and had to settle for long shot bets. Most expected them to miss the playoffs so they have defied expectations up until now. But the lack of scoring depth is going to be the ruin of this team. You are only as good as your worst players and the Oilers worst are too plentiful. They can likely upgrade two guys this summer and 2-4 more the summer after that — then they should be a legit contender.
I was was going to post the following like seconds before your post:
The overall forward talent on this roster has gotten progressively worse year over year since the playoff team (that team should have traded to run for the cup by the way – that year was WIDE open).
The Oilers are the worst team in the NHL, even with the two best players.
The worst.
Holland must be fired tonight.
A has been that is doing nothing, absolutely nothing.
Admit the truth
This is the worst team in the NHL.
The 2019/20 roster has issues.
The 2016/17 roster had issues.
The issues are not necessarily the same but both rosters were imperfect – both rosters showed the ability to win games in bunches and to lose games in bunches.
I”m confident that in the midst of the November 2016 five game, zero point streak, the doom and gloom and talk of lottery was just as apparent.
The bottom six in 2016 scored 120 points, or 20 points each (many of the players averaging 60 games). Do you see this lot anywhere close to that?
The cratering begins towards the 85-point season.
Sure, sure. Tell us some more lies Uncle Crazy.
i enjoy this oiler team but just not sure of your motivation to diss them. you remind me of a flames fan that gets his jollies trolling.
Couldn’t have picked a better game or time to do it:
https://roughingafterthewhistle.com/great-plays-bloopers-etc-2019-20-version-t35294.html#p1213408
Say what?
If you want to continue along the road with a one line team with a void in the bottom nine and a sketchy D good on ya.
The Flames have nothing to do with it.
spoken like a true flames fan!
The October schedule was butter soft.
That ends tomorrow.
Losing McDavid’s okay, but I won’t rest until Nurse and Draisaitl are off the roster.
The real answer is to trade McDavid and balance the roster.
You could end up with two top six wingers, a #1 D and a couple of first round picks.
The team would be much better.
They’re stuck thanks to this seasons cap restraints to bring in lower priced long shot bets re player acquisition. With a 8-4-1 record they’re doing still a lot better than say, Milan Lucic’s Calgary Flames.
Well, without looking back, I am confident that in 2016, when the teams started with an identical 7-2-1 record and lost 5 straight in November with zero points, the fans were just as low as they are now. Of course that team made the playoffs.
Yes, I know there are obvious concerns with the current roster but I’m confident the fanbase was saying the same things back in 2016. Of course, that team made the playoffs.
We said, well, at least some of us, not all, said that the hot start doesn’t guarantee playoffs but what it does is make it so the first tough stretch doesn’t crater the season – it doesn’t take team from a bubble spot to the bottom but from the top to a bubble spot. We knew there would be tough stretches and here is one.
Gotta stop the bleeding before they bleed out and there is a chance to do that tomorrow.
I’ll be ready to roll!
Whens the next game? Asking for a friend.
I wanted to make another point. You may be right and they don’t make the playoffs but what I’m seeing is the top of the line is saying we can not only make the playoffs, we can make some noise. Just give us some average help. Gives us something.
This goes back to summer … again. It’s wasn’t enough.
And if the plan was a “development” year where the top players work thier butts off just to lose well that’s not okay.
Lucic’s team is now 6-6 something so much for veteran presence.
lol imagine if they traded McDavid + Draisaitl “just think of the team you could end up with”
Once more RNH produces nothing more than Khiara yet sucks 6 million off of the cap.
Tippett’s doing a great job but in the end a 2 player(+ a few decent defencemen) team can be “got at”.